For The Faithful

Blessed Jordan Society

Times and culture may have changed since the days of Saint Dominic and Blessed Jordan of Saxony, but there is still a great need for the preaching of God’s love and truth. Minds are still darkened by ignorance and lack of faith. Hearts are still hardened against God’s mercy. We need men and women to leave all for the glory of God and the eternal salvation of souls. God is the one to call and send these souls into the harvest, and Jesus told us to first pray. But then how will they respond if someone does not invite them? And how will they persevere amidst so many dangers and hurdles to their vocation?

Under the patronage of Our Blessed Mother and Blessed Jordan, members promise to be open to the Holy Spirit in building a culture of vocations in their homes and local Church. This openness bears fruit in three primary works:

Pray: daily for vocations, our sisters in formation and our professed sisters in their perseverance;

Invite: be open and look for opportunities to invite others to consider a priestly or religious vocation, particularly to the Dominican Order (this can take many forms, from personally inviting a young man or woman to consider discerning a vocation, to speaking with your Catholic organization or parish priest about how your group/parish can encourage vocations – i.e., posting a flier for a come and see day, holding a vocations fair, etc.); and

Encourage: prayerfully offer encouragement and support to prospective vocations and/or our community’s vocations development, as led by the Holy Spirit. Many young men and women do not have support from close family and friends to discern a priestly or religious vocation, and some even experience outright hostility and other trials. Others face practical hurdles which keep them from pursuing a priestly or religious vocation, such as college loans. Religious communities, including our own, also face practical hurdles associated with the costs of producing materials to reach prospective vocations, whether online (costs associated with web hosting, and social media outreach, such as e-letters and short video productions) or in print (brochures, handouts, and other print materials sent to parishes, dioceses, and campus ministries throughout the West and beyond).

Why the Blessed Jordan Society?

What will become of sinners? What will become of the innocents? This was the prayer, the cry of Our Holy Father Dominic. His love was so strong for Jesus, he was truly united with Him in His thirst for the salvation of souls. As he witnessed the lives of those under the power of sin and heresy, his love and work would eventually lead to the founding of the Order of Preachers. He began his Order with the cloistered nuns, whose lives of prayer and penance would call down God’s grace and mercy and prepare the way for his friars preachers.

St. Dominic’s zeal for the salvation of souls and tender care of his daughters and sons, was continued in the second Master of the Order, Blessed Jordan. Blessed Jordan was granted a special grace to see and call forth vocations to the Order. He was so gifted at this, in fact, that mothers would hide their sons and daughters to keep them from hearing his preaching and leaving all to join the Order of Preachers. It is recorded that thousands of vocations to the Order are a direct result of his recruitment. Thus, he is the patron saint of vocations to our Order.

Times and culture may have changed, but there is still a great need for the preaching of God’s love and truth. Minds are still darkened by ignorance and lack of faith. Hearts are still hardened against God’s mercy. We need men and women to leave all for the glory of God and the eternal salvation of souls. God is the one to call and send these souls into the harvest, and Jesus told us to first pray. But then how will they respond if someone does not invite them? We are the ones to extend Jesus’ invitation to them. And how will they persevere amidst so many dangers and hurdles to their vocation? Pray. Invite. Encourage. If not you, then who?

Prayer for Dominican Vocations

Blessed Jordan of Saxony, worthy successor of St. Dominic, in the early days of the Order, your example and zeal prompted many men and women to follow Christ in the white habit of Our Holy Father.

As patron of Dominican vocations, continue to stimulate talented and devoted men and women to consecrated their lives to God. Through your intercession, lead to the Order of Preachers generous and sacrificing persons, willing to give themselves fervently to the apostolate of Truth.

Help them to prepare themselves to be worthy of the grace of a Dominican vocation. Inspire their hears to become learned of God, that with firm determination they might aspire to be "champions of the Faith and true lights of the world."